SEV Biblia, Chapter 2:13
¶ Pero nosotros debemos dar siempre gracias a Dios por vosotros, hermanos amados del Seor, de que Dios os haya escogido por primicias de salud, por la santificacin del Espíritu y la fe en la verdad;
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 2 Thessalonians 2:13
Verse 13. & 14. God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation, &c.] In your calling, God has shown the purpose that he had formed from the beginning, to call the Gentiles to the same privileges with the Jews, not through circumcision, and the observance of the Mosaic law, but by faith in Christ Jesus; but this simple way of salvation referred to the same end - holiness, without which no man, whether Jew or Gentile, can see the Lord. Let us observe the order of Divine grace in this business: 1. They were to hear the truth - the doctrines of the Gospel. 2. They were to believe this truth when they heard it preached. 3. They were to receive the Spirit of God in believing the truth. 4. That Spirit was to sanctify their souls-produce an inward holiness, which was to lead to all outward conformity to God. 5. All this constituted their salvation - their being fitted for the inheritance among the saints in light. 6. They were to obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ- that state of felicity for which they were fitted, by being saved here from their sins, and by being sanctified by the Spirit of God.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 13. But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you , &c.] Lest the saints should be discouraged by the above account of antichrist, and his followers, and fear they should be left to the same deceptions, and damnation be their portion; the apostle being persuaded better things of them, gives their character, and represents their case in a quite different light; and signifies, that he and his fellow ministers were under obligation to be continually thankful to God for what he had done for them; for as God is the Father of mercies, whether spiritual or temporal, thanks are to be given to him; and saints are not only to bless his name for what they themselves receive from him, but for what others enjoy also, and that continually; because spiritual blessings, especially such as are afterwards instanced in, are permanent and durable, yea, everlasting: the characters which show them to be different from the followers of antichrist, are brethren, beloved of the Lord or of God, as the Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions read: they were the brethren of Christ, being the dear children of God, born of him, and belonging to his family, and of the apostles, and of one another, being of the household of faith; and they were beloved by God the Father, as the instances of their election to salvation by him, and their calling to eternal glory, show; and by the Lord Jesus Christ, who had wrought out for them the salvation they were chosen to; and by the Lord the Spirit, by whom they were regenerated, called, sanctified, and brought to the belief of the truth; and since they had interest in the everlasting love of the three divine Persons, there was no danger of their falling away and perishing. The reason of the apostle's thanksgiving for the persons thus described is, because God hath from, the beginning chosen you to salvation ; which is to be understood, not of an election of them, as a nation, for they were not a nation, only a part of one; nor of them as a church, for they were not so from the beginning; nor to the outward means of grace, the ministry of the word and ordinances, for the choice is unto salvation; nor to any office, for they were not all officers in the church, only some; nor does it intend the effectual calling, for that is distinguished from it in the following verse; but an eternal appointment of persons to grace and glory: and this is an act of God the Father, in Christ, from eternity; and which arises from his sovereign good will and pleasure, and is an instance of his free grace and favour, for the glorifying of himself; and is irrespective of the faith, holiness, and good works of men; all which are the fruits and effects, and not the motives, conditions, or causes of electing grace. This act is the leading one to all other blessings of grace, as justification, adoption, calling, and glorification, and is certain and immutable in itself, and in its effects. The date of it is from the beginning: not from the beginning of the preaching of the Gospel to them, and the sense be, that, as soon as the Gospel was preached, they believed, and God chose them; for what was there remarkable in them, that this should be peculiarly observed of them?
The Bereans are said to be more noble than they were: nor from the beginning of their calling, for predestination or election precedes calling; (see Romans 8:30) nor from the beginning of time, or of the creation of the world, but before the world began, even from eternity; and in such sense the phrase is used in ( Proverbs 8:23) and that it is the sense of it here, is manifest from ( Ephesians 1:4) where this choice is said to be before the foundation of the world. The end to which men, by this act, are chosen, is salvation: not temporal, though the elect of God are appointed to many temporal salvations and deliverances, and which they enjoy both before and after conversion; yet salvation here designs the salvation of the soul, though not exclusive of the body, a spiritual and an eternal salvation, salvation by Jesus Christ, as is expressed in ( 1 Thessalonians 5:9) and the same decree that appoints men to salvation, appoints Christ to be the Saviour of them; and there is salvation in and by no other. The means through which this choice is made, are through sanctification of the spirit, and belief of the truth by sanctification is meant, not anything external, as reformation of life, obedience to the law, or outward submission to Gospel ordinances; but internal holiness, which lies in a principle of spiritual life in the soul, and in a principle of spiritual light on the understanding; in a flexion of the will to the will of God, and the way of salvation by Christ; in a settlement of the affections on divine and spiritual things, and in an implantation of all grace in the heart; and is called the sanctification of the spirit, partly from the spirit or soul of man being the principal seat of it, and chiefly from the Spirit of God being the author of it; and this being a means fixed in the decree of election to salvation, shows that holiness is not the cause of election, yet is certain by it, and is necessary to salvation; and that the doctrine of election is no licentious doctrine, since it provides for and secures true and real holiness. Truth designs either the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the truth of types and promises, and the substance of the truth of the Gospel, in whom it lies, and by whom it comes; or the Gospel itself, which comes from the God of truth, lies in the Scriptures of truth, is dictated and directed into by the spirit of truth; the sum of it is Christ the truth, and has nothing in it but truth. The belief or faith of this intends, not an historical faith, or a mere assent to truth; but a cordial embracing of it, a receiving of the love of the truth, a feeling of the power of it unto salvation, and a believing in Christ, the substance of it; which is a seeing of him spiritually, and a going out of the soul to him in acts of hope; reliance, trust, and dependence; and this being also a means settled in the choice of men to salvation, makes it appear, that faith is no cause of election, but the effect of it; that it is necessary to salvation, and therefore appointed as a means; that it is certain to the elect by it, and that they therefore cannot be finally and totally deceived, or be carried away with the error of the wicked, or with the deceivableness of unrighteousness with which antichrist works.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 13-15 - When we hear of the apostacy of many, it is a great comfort and joy that there is a remnant according to the election of grace, which doe and shall persevere; especially we should rejoice, if we have reason to hope that we are of that number. The preservation of the saints, i because God loved them with an everlasting love, from the beginning of the world. The end and the means must not be separated. Faith an holiness must be joined together as well as holiness and happiness. The outward call of God is by the gospel; and this is rendered effectual by the inward working of the Spirit. The belief of the truth brings the sinner to rely on Christ, and so to love and obey him; it is sealed by the Holy Spirit upon his heart. We have no certain proof of any thin having been delivered by the apostles, more than what we find containe in the Holy Scriptures. Let us then stand fast in the doctrines taugh by the apostles, and reject all additions, and vain traditions.
Greek Textus Receptus
ημεις 2249 δε 1161 οφειλομεν 3784 5719 ευχαριστειν 2168 5721 τω 3588 θεω 2316 παντοτε 3842 περι 4012 υμων 5216 αδελφοι 80 ηγαπημενοι 25 5772 υπο 5259 κυριου 2962 οτι 3754 ειλετο 138 5639 υμας 5209 ο 3588 θεος 2316 απ 575 αρχης 746 εις 1519 σωτηριαν 4991 εν 1722 αγιασμω 38 πνευματος 4151 και 2532 πιστει 4102 αληθειας 225
Vincent's NT Word Studies
13. Hath chosen (eilato). The only case in N.T. in which this word is used of God's election. LXX, Deut. xxvi. 18, of God's choosing Israel to be his peculiar people. Comp. Philip. i. 22; Heb. xi. 25. From the beginning (ap archv). Not elsewhere in Paul. His usual expressions are pro twn aijwnwn before the ages (1 Cor. ii. 7): pro katabolhv kosmou before the foundation of the world (Eph. i. 4): ajpo twn aijwnwn from the ages (Eph. iii. 9). Before eternal times (pro cronwn aiwniwn) is found 2 Tim. i. 9; Tit. i. 2.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
2:13 See #1:3 for same beginning. {Beloved of the Lord} (egapemenoi hupo kuriou). Perfect passive participle of agapaw with hupo and the ablative as in #1Th 1:4, only here kuriou instead of qeou, the Lord Jesus rather than God the Father. {Because that God chose you} (hoti heilato humas ho qeos). First aorist middle indicative of hairew, to take, old verb, but uncompounded only in N.T. here, #Php 1:22; Heb 11:25, and here only in sense of {choose}, that being usually exaireomai or proorizw. {From the beginning} (ap' arces). Probably the correct text (Aleph D L) and not aparcen (first fruits, B G P), though here alone in Paul's writings and a hard reading, the eternal choice or purpose of God (#1Co 2:7; Eph 1:4; 2Ti 1:9), while aparcen is a favorite idea with Paul (#1Co 15:20,23; 16:15; Ro 8:23; 11:16; 16:5). {Unto salvation} (eis swterian). The ultimate goal, final salvation. {In sanctification of the Spirit} (en hagiasmwi pneumatos). Subjective genitive pneumatos, sanctification wrought by the Holy Spirit. {And belief of the truth} (kai pistei aleqeias). Objective genitive aleqeias, belief in the truth.
